Great America gets...

TRAVEL BRIEFS REGIONAL DAY TRIPS

December 06, 2009

TRAVEL BRIEFS REGIONAL DAY TRIPS Great America gets Kiddieland coaster GURNEE, Ill. -- Weeks after Kiddieland Amusement Park closed in suburban Chicago, Six Flags Great America has bought its famed wooden roller coaster -- The Little Dipper. Spokeswoman Brooke Gabbert says Six Flags paid $33,000 for the roller coaster that had been at Kiddieland since 1950. Gabbert says the plan is to dismantle the figure-eight track, ship it to Gurnee and have it up and running next year. The roller coaster will still be called The Little Dipper as it joins 13 other roller coasters at Six Flags Great America. Music fest planned at Churchill Downs LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, will become a stomping ground for some of the country's best-known musicians next summer. The three-day music festival will feature more than 65 bands, including Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney and the Dave Matthews Band. Officials with Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company of the racetrack, said the festival is called "HullabaLOU" and is set for next July 23-25. It will feature classic rock, county, adult contemporary and bluegrass musicians on five stages throughout the sprawling 147-acre facility. It is envisioned to be an annual event. Churchill has hosted rock 'n' roll royalty at the historic track in recent years with performances by the Rolling Stones and The Police. The track has been aggressively looking for alternative source of revenue to augment its income from horse racing. Find a Hanukkah celebration NEW YORK -- Menorahs made from ice, Legos and chocolate will be on display at some of the Hanukkah celebrations sponsored by the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish outreach organization in 650 cities around the world. The eight-day holiday begins at sundown on Friday. Chabad events will range from a Dec. 13 parade with more than 100 cars decorated with Hanukkah flags heading to the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla., to a Hanukkah comedy night in Oxnard, Calif., on Dec. 15. All the events are open to the public. At www.chabad.org/ChanukahEvents you can search for other Chabad-sponsored Hanukkah events by location. Visit Jimmy Stewart's home INDIANA, Pa. -- If you're a fan of the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life," consider a visit to the hometown of Jimmy Stewart, who starred in the film as George Bailey. Indiana, Pa., 55 miles east of Pittsburgh, has a Jimmy Stewart Boulevard, a Jimmy Stewart Museum, a Jimmy Stewart statue outside the courthouse and even a local airport named for him. The museum is hosting matinees of "It's a Wonderful Life" every Saturday and Sunday through Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. For more information, the museum can be reached at (724) 349-6112. Other holiday events include a Festival of Lights, a restored Victorian mansion and Christmas trees. For more information on visiting Indiana, Pa., go to www.visitindiana countypa.org.